Do-Over??

Blerg. It’s been a weird day. Conference this morning then had to travel to Houston for MBA interviews (11 total btwn today and tomorrow). And, I think I’m sick. At first I thought it was allergies but now I’m convinced that I’m getting really sick. Must’ve caught the virus from Luci. I have felt feverish and achy all day long-sneezing, coughing, you name it. I’m sure people love me with the whole swine-flu thing going around. All I want to do is go to bed and sleep sleep sleep.  ETA:  I had to cancel my interviews today- I’ve definitely caught Luci’s virus!  Now, just gotta find a way to get an earlier flight back home and get to bed….

Have you ever encountered a situation where you REALLY wish you could go back and do-over? I had the weirdest thing happen to me at the Houston Hobby airport today. I was all truckin’ along, down the concourse, heading to catch a taxi when I hear this HUGE KABOOM behind me and a woman scream. I was in my own little world, as usual, pretty oblivious to my surroundings, so when I turned around to find an old woman completely sprawled out on the floor crying, I was shocked. I literally dropped my bag and spewed all 11 of my interview files across the airport concourse and ran over to the woman. I didn’t know what to do so I just stood there for a few seconds. I finally realized she was looking at me like I was crazy, like she was expecting help to get up. Oh, ok…. So, I awkwardly offered her my arm/thunder-thighs/back/body to help pull her up. (The other people who were surrounding us just asked if I needed help and went on their way)….. I was successful but the poor thing was still crying and limping and just in SO much pain. I kept asking her if she was ok- no response. Finally realized she could not speak English- took a few seconds of her rattling off something (curse words, no doubt), in what sounded like Italian, for me to realize she didn’t understand what I was saying to her (for a while there, I thought it was her HEAD that made the big Kaboom sound on the floor). Turns out, it was her knee. She kept pointing to it and rubbing it and was obviously in a world of hurt, tears streaming down her face and limping. I asked her to wait a second, grabbed my bag, purse, interview files that were waiting for me on the floor, and offered her my hand/arm for support. She gladly accepted, and off we went to “baggage claim”? (which was some of the only English this poor lady was able to express in her semi-state of shock).

I was so nervous that of course, I kept talking to her and asking her questions like “are you sure you’re ok??” and telling her that “she’ll for sure need to ice it up later on tonight”- she just kept nodding and looking down at her knee. I walked her across the Hobby airport, hand-in-hand, to the elevator down to baggage claim, then I asked her- “do you want me to wait for you and help you grab your bag”? To which she replied: “No, No, son is coming”. So, I head out to grab a taxi, off to my MBA interviews….. It was only when I was about 10 minutes outside of the airport when I realized- WHAT IF HER SON WASN’T IN BAGGAGE CLAIM BUT WAITING FOR HER IN HIS CAR”???????? I had a complete panic-attack. I felt like such a douche-bag for leaving this poor old woman, still obviously limping in pain, to fend for herself with the whole baggage claim scenario. What was I thinking? I should’ve at least waited with her until she found her son.

When we parted, all she could do was put her hand to her heart and say “thank you”. I’m sure I rattled off some incomprehensible, dip-shit remark like, “Oh, no problem- I just hope you’re ok”. URRGH (I still can’t figure out how to spell that).

Now, all I want to do is go back, stand with her while she waits for her bag, and walk her out to her son. She was a beautiful (truly breathtakingly beautiful), well-dressed (Euro-chic) woman. And seriously, the sound of her falling was INSANE- I was expecting to look back and see a huge, hard-case luggage set, not unlike those big convention-y-type-display things you see people lugging around at conventions). I could not believe it was this teeny little, old, and beautiful Italian lady. GEEEZ. So, I want a Do-Over. I want to make sure she’s ok!! ARGH! Sometimes I don’t think.

Peace out,

Frustrated